Organized crime in the 1920s

The 1920s was time of music and literature but it was also a decade of crime. This rise ot illegality was not random but caused by prohibition and immigration. The advancement of guns also helped gangs progress. one of the most Important figureheads of this era was A1 Capone. organized crime flourished during the 1920s In America. The typical Italian mafia stereotype has some truth since our mafia was strongly influenced my Italy. During the mid-1800s the Sicilian mafia grew exponentially In Italy, but this quickly came to an end.

At the end of the 19th century the Fascist egime of Benito Mussolini attacked the crime organizations of Italy (Mafia in the United States) Sicilian Mafiosi decided to escape to America to continue their illegal ways In Just New York in went from 20,000 in 1880 to 500,000 by 1 910 (Mafia in the United States), In 1919. the 18th amendment was passed starting the Prohibition era and sparking a wave of crime. The 1 8th amendment also known as Prohibition banned the consumption, manufacturing, and sale of alcohol. This left a major market unclaimed with a lot of potential profit.

This market also gave Sicilian Mafiosi nother reason to immigrate. The mafia eventually took over the alcohol business using their skills of skilled a smuggling and bribery to get around the amendment (Mafia in the United States). The advancement of guns thanks to World War helped the mana operate and even gave them another product to sell. Directly due to the passing ot prohlbltlon the gun market In America expanded (Prohibition). Gangs used guns to kill off rival gangs and keep hold of your territory, the most famous of which Is Thompson gun.